TNAG-1065-FCO40-1315-Development-of-Hong-Kong-social-services-1981 — Page 20

G.S. 166

(a)

staff costs;

(b)

(c)

rents;

the relative complexity of checking sickness and injury claims.

11

With the vast expansion of the machinery of Government is recent years the creation of another major organ to administer this new scheme, whether as a part of the Social Welfare Department or as a free standing agency, may also create unforeseen additional administrative problems.

12

In all these circumstances the conclusion has been reached that an alternative to the Green Paper SID scheme should now be developed.

The New Proposals

13

It is now proposed that:

(a)

sickness benefit under the Employment Ordinance (Chapter 57) should be extended; and

(b)

a death grant scheme should be introduced.

Extended Sickness Benefit

14

At present under the Employment Ordinance, paid sick leave is at the rate of one day for every completed month of service and may be accumulated up to a maximum of 36 paid sickness days. Thus the maximum entitlement of 36 sickness days requires three years' service. However, the SID scheme envisaged in the Green Paper suggest the provision of sickness benefit at half-pay for three months (second, third and fourth), the first month being considered to have been covered by the sickness allowance provisions in the Employment Ordinance.

CONFIDENTIAL

機密